The sun. [volume] (Morris, Stevens County, Minn.) 1882-1895, 1887-12-29
FROM WASHINGTON TsRSlToRY.
raha, Dec. lst. 1887.


paha, Dec. lst, 1887.
THE SvN:-
Vague fancles are rife respecting
this great territory; n.any came here
expecting To lind IN Elysian OF per.
petaal youth. or like .Attsn Quarter.
man. of II. Rider llaggard, fame,
iinl that Mecca where life is one long
ecstatic dream. And just SO many
have come here anu whuse great ex.
pectations took one grand destructive
tumble.
Now as we have been resident Of
that part of the Territory known as
the Ritzville country for the past
few years, we beg your Indulgence
for q few brief remarks upon the
various advantages here ex,ant.
All Iowa is peculiarly adapted to
corn growing, Minnesota to wheat.
but Washington Territory is not
especially adapted to any ONE kind of
produce. Wheat comes nearest being
in ascecdency as = cereal prod uct.
Most all kinds Of fruit do we'll in this
part Of the territory; apples. pears.
peaches, plums. and all kinds Of
berries flourish finely.
The Ritzville country is mo tly all
prairie, some timber abounds on the
streams etc, but the general lay of
the land is like unto many of the
most beautiful rolling prairies of
Iowa or Minnesota. Timothy and
clover grow luxuriantly. Bunch grass
predominates most generally, and is
renowned for its fat producing pro.
perties. Il is equally rs nutritious
green or dry, and stock keep ii en-
celient flesh during the entire winter
with no other feed.
There are many good horses here,
some as fine as in the states. The
ponies, or crosses between the grade
Norman and the Indian ponies, are
very hardy and rugged and very
cheap, ranging in price from So. to s25
per head; they are Of good size, con-
siderable larger than the Mexican
Bronchos. .s
The produce raised here is shipped
to Portland, Oregon, thence to Euro
pean markets.
We do not care to dwell largely on
any one point, but if there is any one
or two points on which we would ask
permission to enlarge, they are, fruit
raising and the climate. No where
can finer fruit be raised. The eli
mate and soil induce mavelou:
growths and production of all the
tender and finely favored varieties
The market for our fruit is good
both home and abroad. Fruit raising
| is no experiment buta demonstrated
success.
The climate is unsurpassed. Shor.
| summers and still shorter winters
One half is Spring and the other halt
is balmy autumn. Warm, bit no,
oppressive days, aud cool invigoratine
nights predominate in the Summer.
What is known as cold weather il
Iowa and Minnesota is never known
here. The average temperature IN
June. 1885. was IS degrees. February
the coolest month in the year, wa.
only IS degrees above zero. The
| ground seldom is frozen more thar
six weeks during the entire season.
The land here costs nothing but
the taking, and hundreds are taking
advantage Of Uncle Sans munificence
every month, and this country thai
had but few settlers two years ago i!
now we'll on the road to prosperity.
We do not want to make the peopl,
who may read this feel that Mime
sofa is desert, for this country hal
its draw backs as well as any other
OF which we may speak later if thi
finds space in your columns. But TO
our selves we would not exchang,
our disadvantages with those we
know to exist in Iowa and Minnesota
EXODUS.